Welp...a simple no thank you for this one.

I was really looking forward to this title, but it just wasn't clicking with me. I found myself unable to grasp what was even happening. This book has a very jarring beginning, and I think that is one of the reasons I just didn't vibe with it. It also felt very overwhelming which led to confusion for me. I also wasn't a huge fan of how "dark" it was. I was caught a little off-guard by it, and dark romance isn't really my thing personally. Not sure how I felt about the self-infliction of pain. Just didn't sit well with me.

I think it has potential, and it might be a book I return to in the future, but right now, it's just not setting right with me. I'm not sure this is the right book for my reading preferences. But I'm not dooming it forever or anything. It's just not the right read for me right now.

I would still like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF'd

I am not often a fan of myth retellings, but this one had a hold on me. While not remaining true to the tale of the minotaur in the labyrinth, it does expand on the notion in a gripping, dark, romantic fantasy. (*** Please take the time to read the content warnings prior to reading this tale.) The imagery is evocative, the characters well-developed, and the plot had me in a chokehold. The further along I got, the more I was invested in the tale. I had tears in my eyes at the end of this one - the twists to their story blew me away. So good.

A huge thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the advance copy!

*Exquisite Ruin* immediately captured my attention with its stunning cover and intriguing premise. The idea of a minotaur myth retelling had me hooked from the start—and it certainly did not disappoint. The dynamic between the two main characters was captivating, especially with their transformation from lovers to enemies and back to lovers.

Both characters are morally complex, and even though they walk the line between right and wrong, I found myself rooting for them every step of the way. While the trials throughout the story did become a bit repetitive, the narrative still kept me fully engaged and entertained.

I absolutely fell in love with Pogli. He's the kind of sidekick creature I dream about—loyal, mischievous, and endearing. I couldn't help but smile at the various shenanigans they found themselves in.

The plot was full of unexpected twists, and that ending? I definitely didn’t see it coming. I'm still reflecting on it, trying to piece together the puzzle.

Overall, *Exquisite Ruin* was a wildly fun, binge-worthy experience. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

First in a series, sequel is Divine Descent. A lush dark romance retelling of the Minotaur myth featuring a witch and a daemon forced to go through a deadly maze together while dealing with their feelings for one another... fresh from betrayals, secrets, and the undeniable attraction beneath it all. Sadaré is a witch who wakes up in a labyrinth, with no memory of how or why she is down there, only that she is a powerful witch. With her is a hostile immortal daemon, Daesra, who is as beautiful as he is deadly... and completely bound to her. Daesra tells her that she betrayed him, that despite how much she wants to deny it, they were lovers until she betrayed him in the worst way possible and bound him to her... and that she did so because she wanted and needed him to go into this maze for her all so she canget to the end and defeat the monster... and win her prize, her immortality. As they both venture deeper and deeper into the maze, Sadaré begins to get glimpses of her memories back... and the truth of what she has done to Daesra and why slowly begin to creep back in... yet when they reach the end will she be able to betray him one last time or will her heart be different? Oh this was an absolutely fantastic read. I loved the twist and turns and how the book has you hooked until the last page. I was so invested in their romance. This was enemies to lovers, but the lovers part was absolutely delicious. The angst, the romance, the reveal of it all!!! I need the second book immediately because I cannot get enough of these two!!!

Release Date: March 25. 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Gallery Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you for the ARC of Exquisite Ruin in exchange for feedback! I was really looking forward to this read based on the premise - a dark romance Minotaur/labyrinth retelling?? Yes please!

Unfortunately I had to DNF - the magic system (inflicting pain on yourself) wasn’t for me, I thiiiiiink this book may have been my way of learning monster romance also isn’t for me, and the pacing wasn’t quite there with the actual plot to keep me engaged.

That’s not to say this won’t hit for some people! I can tell there’s likely an audience for which this will really scratch an itch, and I’m bummed that I can’t say I was part of it.

A daemon, a witch, and a maze. Fraught with danger around every curve, Daesra and Sadaré must use every advantage they can to reach the center of the maze. No matter how unsavory. Their sordid history further complicates their trek through the maze as they work through fragile trust. Not always with success.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. There were so many mysteries that I needed to know more about. Why are Sadaré’s memories missing? Who is this hoofed daemon to her? Why are they in a maze? I’m nosy, I needed to know everything! I like how the story unfurled through the recovering of memories through the maze. I didn’t see any of the twists coming, and I loved that. There was spice, but a lot more emotional exploration between Daesra and Sadaré. I enjoyed that. Their relationship was majorly complicated. This book featured some kink that not everyone would be okay with, so be sure to check triggers before reading. I enjoyed it a lot!

t doesn’t rely on cheap tricks or easy drama. Instead, it builds something genuine—layered, thoughtful, and impossible to forget. You close the book, but it stays open in your mind

I really struggled to get through this book and seriously considered DNF'ing. I just didn't feel drawn to continue picking it back up after the first 15-20%

-The writing was repetitive and lackluster. The best way I can describe it is pedestrian.
-Amnesia plotlines aren't my favorite because I just get frustrated with them, and constantly being told "I don't remember XYZ" by the main character.
-I'm not super familiar with the Greek mythology of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur to comment on specific details. But in my opinion it didn't seem very labyrinthian/maze like? I honestly had a hard time picturing the setting most of the book (and I'm usually not someone who has issue with this).
-I thought the mirrors being portals to the past was an interesting idea.
-On the surface level yes it does read like a 'true' enemies to lovers arc - the hatred of the two MCs is palpable (and also brought up repetitively) but I also didn't think the romance was well developed enough. It relied too much on 'things that happened in the past' and we were just told kinda suddenly that they loved each other?
-There is no where near enough explicit/spicy scenes for this to be considered 'erotica' - them just being kinky etc does not automatically qualify a book as erotica. From memory there's like several mentions of past things, one mild-spice, and then one *big* scene. To me no more than a typical romance.
-I don't get how this is going to be a series? cause it seemed pretty final by the end.

Ultimately I just really didn't care about the characters, or what was happening with them so it's a no for me.

Content Warnings from Author included in arc:
This book is a fantasy intended for adults only. Reader discretion is advised, since the following pages contain explicit sex, violence, mild gore/body horror, attempted rape (past), parent death (past, off-page), animal injury (not death), abduction/captivity, self-harm (only for magical purposes), and various kinks and fetishes in a fantasy setting, including: CNC (consensual non-consent), dominance and submission, sadomasochism, erotic degradation/humiliation, primal play, choking, gagging, rope bondage, spanking and other impact play, blood play, needle play, foot fetishization, monstrous anatomy, and raw/unprotected sex. All characters depicted are adults, and the activities depicted are not realistic representations of safe sexual activity or risk-aware consensual kink/BDSM.

This unfortunetly is a DNF for me. I tried reading this a while ago and put it down because I could not get into the story. I decided to pick it back up and just couldn't make it past 30%.

I was initially very drawn to this book because of the cover and the concept. The idea of being a trapped in a maze with no memory sounded so intriguing and I do think people who really enjoy monster romance will like this one. With that being said there was just something about the writing style that was not clicking in my head. Whenever that happens it is just very difficult for me to have any connection to the main characters and therefore have no motivation to continue reading. That mixed with me unable to really visualize the setting had me feeling like I was reading words versus being immersed in the story.

This was the first arc I have dnfed and it hurts me to do so but I fear if I didn't I would be in a very bad reading slump.

This book was an unexpected 5-star!
I initially chose this book for the cover, which had a dark romance vibe. I read the blurb and knew I loved Greek mythology.
Getting into this book seemed slow, and it took me a minute to fully understand the story and plan. I wish for more backstory about the main characters.
I loved how the settings changed and the companions came along the way. I loved the dark twists and betrayals that changed from hate to love to questioning reality.
Great story and character development.
Thank you, NetGalley, AdriAnne May, and Gallery Books, for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.

Exquisite Ruin is a dark, sensuous reimagining of the Minotaur myth that had me hooked from the start. Sadaré, a powerful sorceress, wakes in a labyrinth with no memory, forced to team up with Daesra, a dangerous and enigmatic demon, to escape. Their animosity is palpable, but as they navigate the maze, their reluctant alliance slowly turns into something far more complicated—and far more dangerous.

The tension between Sadaré and Daesra is electric, filled with passion, mistrust, and a shared history that unfolds gradually. The labyrinth itself is a character, alive with magic and mystery, shifting and revealing secrets that draw the characters—and the reader—deeper into its web. The way their pasts intertwine adds layers of intrigue and emotional depth to the story.

The slow-burn romance, combined with the thrilling twists and dark atmosphere, kept me on the edge of my seat. As the characters uncover more about their past and the monster that may be at the heart of the maze, the stakes grow higher, and the line between friend and foe blurs.

Exquisite Ruin is a compelling, intense read with a perfect balance of romance and mystery. Highly recommend for fans of dark fantasy and forbidden love.

There's something about telling a story somewhat in reverse that I find fascinating and of course, suspenseful. Like you know what's happening at the beginning of the book, but then the rest of it lays out how we got to be where we are. That's basically how this book is written, bouncing back and forth between present and past continually throughout the story. It kept me engaged and always wondering what was going to happen next. But that ending...that was kinda mean to the readers, if I do say so myself. LOL. I really hope we get to know how that played out in the next book.

I enjoyed the writing here, as well as the way the plot was laid out. I wasn't sure if a whole book could be written about 1 single labyrinth journey without becoming monotonous, but I was pleasantly surprised. I also had full faith in the author as I have read some of her previous work and really enjoyed it.

The characters were also very fascinating to me. I found the amount of self-reflection on the part of the characters to be very well done, even if at times things got a little convoluted from a reasoning standpoint. I will say, the backstory of the characters was not quite as strong as I had hoped for, but maybe that was by design. Not to mention, the side characters...I think I loved them just as much as the mains.

There were also a couple very well-placed spicy bits that I really enjoyed. Kudos.

I definitely did NOT see that revelation coming towards the very end...wow! What a way to change up the WHOLE dynamic of the story I JUST read. I felt like I had to read it all over again after knowing that little tidbit (I didn't, but that's how much it kind of changed my perception of the story).

Recommendation:
I think the monster lovers should definitely check this out, but I would also recommend for the fantasy romance/romantasy lovers in general. Now, it's not all rainbows and butterflies, it gets a little gory at times. But I think for an adult fantasy debut, this author did a great job. It felt mature and gave a ton of action and suspense that I think fantasy lovers will enjoy.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an early copy of this book. As always, this review is my honest feedback and given voluntarily.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

♡ This was an amazingly written re-telling, how things were developed and how the maze functioned was super interesting. The beginning of the book really hooked me in and the middle kept me drawn in! There were moments where I was a bit confused with what was happening or where things were leading, but that simply because I was learning the plot through the characters (who were equally confused). I will say that the plot twist brought on more confusion rather than understanding, which was slightly frustrating because at that point I was really wanting clarity on the situation after the confusion. I can appreciate the intention behind the plot twist though, because it was so unexpected and made the story unique, but I struggled to follow what was happening.

♡ I really enjoyed the character development for both of the main characters, it was intriguing to see the characters grow from the beginning and see where they ended. The ending was really satisfying to me, it tied everything up super nicely and was lighthearted (compared to how dark the rest of the book was lol).

♡ Looking back on how I felt reading after completing the book, there's still quite a bit of confusion with some of the plot points and how things got from point A to point B. However, I feel that this a book where the confusion doesn't take away from the enjoyment of reading. It was very much of a vibe of "let's just go with it and see what happens" while reading. So if you're a reader who needs to understand everything that's happening, you might struggle with this book- I think it was purposefully written to be confusing at some points, since we're viewing the world through a very confused character.

Overall rating: 3.5 stars (rounding up to 4)

I gotta bow out of this one due to some of the content warnings. But I liked what I read and would still recommend it to someone interested in dark romantasy.

The beautiful cover grabbed my attention first and then finding out it is a Minotaur retelling with a witch and daemon, I was sold.

- enemies to lovers
- daemon and a witch
- second chance romance
- maze trial
- gods
- 🌶️🌶️

Overall I enjoyed the book but it was a little too slow and repetitive at first for me. It also took a little bit for me to care about Sadare and Daesra. I'm not sure what it was maybe a little of the writing style or what. I think if it was not for these I would have given this a 4 star. I did like the twist in the book and did not see that coming. I think this is supposed to be a duology and I will most likely pick up book 2. Oh my favorite char is Pogli an adorable little mishap of a Chimera.

Thanks to Netgalley and GalleryBooks for the ARC!

This was a pretty good read. Loved that it was a retelling. I will say however the chapters were far too long and I found myself losing focus at some points because of it

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. DNF. I will not be completing this novel. I am just not invested and didn’t like how I was dropped into it. I am only reading because it makes me and reviewing so it doesn’t hurt my feedback ratio.

YA author A.M. Strickland makes her romantasy debut under the name AdriAnne May with “Exquisite Ruin,” a darkly romantic retelling of the Minotaur myth.

Sadaré, a witch whose magic draws upon pain—often self-inflicted—awakens in a labyrinth with no memory of who she is or how she arrived there. Trapped in this maze with her is Daesra, a Minotaur and daemon whom Sadaré once ensnared, bound, and betrayed. Daesra retains his memory, and together, they must confront their mutual hatred and fear in order to navigate the labyrinth and kill the monstrous entity that lies at its center.

The labyrinth itself is deadly, filled with obstacles and enemies. Every wrong turn or moment of separation punishes the two. As they delve deeper into the maze, they encounter a series of mirrors that reveal fragments of Sadaré's past, gradually uncovering the truth about her fractured relationship with Daesra and the betrayal that tore them apart.

While May’s novel has an adventurous premise, its execution falters. Readers may struggle to understand the maze's setting, as the environment and its effects aren't fully explained, making it difficult to visualize the scenes. The mirrors and maze walls lack enough detail to effectively enhance the action and atmosphere. Additionally, the late-stage plot twist, which emerges toward the end of the novel, feels contrived and lacks believability. While the premise holds promise, the book is overly long, and many scenes fail to develop the necessary depth for readers to fully grasp the unfolding action. In the end, this is one novel that might be better enjoyed as a movie rather than in its written form.

AdriAnne May breathed new life into a trope that I've read in the past and wrote it in a way that I've never experienced before. Which is why this might end up being one of my most vague revies I have ever written but it's only because I think that this book is one of those books that you should pick up without knowing too much.

This was a beautiful and refreshing reimaging of a story that I have a personal interest in and can definitely see this one blowing up within the adult fantasy romance book sphere. If you're looking for a book full of the unexpected that brings emotional punches with a lovers to enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers to etc. etc. etc. with a really interesting world building aspect and a whole lot of tension due to heavy history between the characters, this one is for sure the book for you.

Sadaré & Daesra have so much chemistry and passion that will leave you craving more and more of it. The maze that they wander through is unlike anything else that I've read before and the intricacies that unravel as the story tells itself will have you binging it as quickly as you can.

I can't wait to see what else comes from The Labyrinth series!

- fantasy romance
- open door
- single pov
- a reimagining of the minotaur myth
- forced proximity
- lovers to enemies to lovers to enemies to ???????
- kink in a fantasy setting
- a sorceress with amnesia
- a hooved and horned demon who hates her
- a cute pug side character (in disguise)
- unique world building
- twists and turns that are unexpected
- unpredictable storytelling

2.5 stars

I rounded up here because the idea behind this story was really good and very interesting. But it was also just so boring. For most of the book it was the same thing over and over again, only in a different location within this maze. It just got tedious and frustrating and I hardly ever wanted to get back into the story. I did like how the mirrors would show us Sadare's memories going back a little more each time so we would slowly be piecing things together with her. And the whole thing with the gods here and their roles in this world was good too. One thing I'm not sure how I feel about it the inflicting pain on oneself in order to do (more or less) magic. To a point I'm like okay, I get it. But Sadare mentions how she used to love to make patterns and designs in her arms with needles to have a constant source of pain. She's binding herself with ropes, hobbling herself, just to store up more power. And all I can think is that this chick is definitely masochist with the bonus of it making her stronger.

We begin with Sadare waking up and having absolutely no idea who she is or where she is. Daesra shows up and he has more of his memories, so he parcels them out to her whenever he sees fit as they travel together to get to the end of this maze. Where they are supposed to defeat the final monster. But the thing is, neither of them know for sure if they're supposed to work together or not. Each testing this in different ways as they go. Like I said, the whole idea here was really good. This maze was crazy with what it's made up of, what they encounter, and what tries to kill them or force them along. It was violent and exciting in that you never knew what was coming next. Daesra's hatred for Sadare is a palpable thing, and who can blame him when she betrayed him so horribly as she did. But he was so weak in that he could never watch her die or hurt because he STILL loves her. As for Sadare, she only regains her memories at the end so it was really ridiculous how often she would think or say that she would never do something. Not knowing who you really are makes that impossible to say.

Along the way these two do seem to change a bit as they come to terms with certain things. And apparently that was the whole point of this entire ordeal. Like others have said, the ending was weird and confusing as hell. Like, I get it....but I also don't. I feel like it was overly complicated to get the desired outcome. Which also was interesting but the whole 'what the fuck is going on right now' thing really overshadowed it. But they got their happy after so I guess that's all that matters?

I won't be checking out the next book because this was just too long and unable to hold my attention enough. Overall, great idea but not great execution.